grooverider
Your Team Sucks
If you open up the links in incognito on Chrome you can bypass the paywall for 1 article a day
With that said, Larry's articles have been a nice change of pace this year from year's past I've enjoyed them
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University of Maine Off-season 2024: Insert Pun Here
- Thread starter ticapnews
- Start date
If you open up the links in incognito on Chrome you can bypass the paywall for 1 article a day
With that said, Larry's articles have been a nice change of pace this year from year's past I've enjoyed them
walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
ORONO, Maine -- When Steve Kariya committed to the University of Maine in 1995, there was barely any dust on the Black Bears' 1993 NCAA men's hockey national championship plaque.
His goal, and that of his classmates, was to continue the program's winning tradition and claim another title. Never could the Black Bears have imagined the obstacles they would encounter in trying to make that happen.
The dedicated group believed in the program, their coaches and each other. And on April 9, 1999, at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California, UMaine celebrated a national championship.
UMaine closed out a 31-6-4 season, capped by the program's second national title in six years.
"It was the time of my life. I owe everything to the University of Maine and the hockey program," said goalie Alfie Michaud, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament and is now an assistant coach for the Black Bears.
That special collection of players, coaches and staff members, who will forever hold a treasured place in the hearts and minds of Black Bear fans, now take their deserved place in the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame.
"Our success wouldn't have been possible if each player didn't selflessly accept their role," said former goalies coach, recruiter extraordinaire and UMaine Hall of Famer Grant Standbrook. "Each of them was equally vital to our success."
The championship team featured talent and depth, but it was the five seniors who set the tone while enduring postseason bans during the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons.
Scholarship reductions meant bringing in some less-touted "credit card" players, some of whom would have to wait for the money. The staff still assembled a cohesive cast.
"We called ourselves the 'Land of Broken Toys,' guys that other teams didn't want," Bobby Stewart said. "But Grant and Shawn saw different capabilities in us, whether it was character or what we brought on the ice."
UMaine went into the '98-99 campaign highly motivated, coming off a 17-15-4 season that left them unsatisfied.
"Going into our senior year, we kind of had a little bit of unfinished business," said Marcus Gustafsson. "Everybody on that team brought something [to the table]."
The seniors included Kariya and fellow captains David Cullen, Stewart, Jason Vitorino and Gustafsson. Kariya and Cullen each were named American Hockey Coaches Association East first-team All-Americans and to the All-Hockey East first team.
"Those five guys stuck it out. They stayed with the program, and I think that's kind of what galvanized everything," Michaud said.
With 12 of the top 14 scorers returning, Michaud in goal and a promising freshman class, there was optimism. In a preseason meeting with the seniors, Standbrook set the bar high. He drew a line on the schedule that went all the way to the national championship.
"This is where you guys are going, if you believe it," was his message, Stewart said.
The offense was led by Kariya (27 goals, 38 assists), junior center Cory Larose (21 & 31), defenseman Cullen (11 & 33), sophomore winger Dan Kerluke (23 & 19), winger Gustafsson (13 & 15), and centers Ben Guite (12 & 16), a junior, and freshman Barrett Heisten (12 & 16).
Michaud, a junior, compiled a 28-6-3 record, a 2.32 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. He was backed up by freshman Mike Morrison (3-0-1, 1.17, .917) and Matt Yeats.
Heisten and Morrison were joined in the talented freshman group by winger Niko Dimitrakos (8 & 19), defenseman Peter Metcalf (6 & 17), and defensemen Doug Janik (3 & 13) and Ed Wood (1 & 9).
"That was a very good freshman class and those guys were able to come in and make an impact," said Nate Leaman, a graduate assistant for the team who is now the head coach at Providence.
Other key contributors included transfer junior center Brendan Walsh (7 & 13), junior forward Jim Leger (5 & 2), junior defenseman Robert Ek (0 & 6) and a strong corps of sophomores led by Anders Lundback (1 & 11), Mattias Trattnig (5 & 5), Tuomo Jaaskelainen (1 & 5), A.J. Begg (0 & 2), Magnus Lundback (1 & 2) and Eric Turgeon (0 & 2).
"We prided ourselves on including everyone, making sure that we had a team and family atmosphere that was really good," Cullen said.
It was a group that, in pursuit of excellence, was hungry and focused.
"That was a team that hadn't played in the NCAA Tournament and desperately wanted to be great," Leaman said.
Their resolve was intensified through tragedy when, in February, beloved team equipment manager Richie Britt was killed in an accident.
"That was really crushing to our team," Kariya said. "He was a good friend and a teammate."
The team hung a UMaine jersey with Britt's name on it behind the bench and wore "RB" decals on their helmets for the rest of the season.
Still, the stretch run was grueling for UMaine, which went 14-1-1 at Alfond Arena that winter.
Needing a point to win the Hockey East regular-season title, the Black Bears lost back-to-back games at UNH, then fell to Boston College in the league semifinals. They rebounded to beat Ohio State and Clarkson in the Worcester Regional to earn a spot in the Frozen Four.
It took 35 saves from Michaud and Stewart's overtime game-winner, set up by a Dimitrakos' rink-length rush, to eke out a 2-1 victory over BC in the semifinals.
"I get chills thinking about it," Cullen said. "I flew over the bench and I was on the ice. It was a really cool experience."
On April 3, 1999, the Black Bears again went toe-to-toe with UNH. In overtime, Gustafsson took a nifty pass from Cory Larose, fired a one-timer that was stopped by Ty Conklin, then buried the rebound to secure the team's place in history.
"It was a great relief and pure happiness," Gustafsson said. "It was a surreal life moment, for sure."
The entire experience galvanized the relationship between team members.
"It was the time of my life. I owe everything to the University of Maine and the hockey program," Michaud said.
"Everyone took a lot of pride in bringing Maine hockey back," Kariya said. "That was special for me and, I think, everyone."
They have remained in close contact and held a team reunion every five years. In May, they gathered for their 25-year reunion in Naples, Florida, where they reconnected with the 87-year-old Standbrook, who lives there.
"Hockey was the vehicle which brought them together from around the world," Standbrook said. "We evolved, won the championship and became brothers for life!"
The dedicated coaching staff had the respect and admiration of the players. Walsh, Standbrook, Gene Reilly and Leaman worked tirelessly behind the scenes to put the team in position to win consistently.
"We all felt like we had the advantage, even if we didn't have as much talent as some of the teams," Stewart said. "We felt like we were prepared each game. They were innovative on how they approached things compared to other clubs."
The bond between the players was a huge key to UMaine's success as noted by Shawn Walsh in an interview with the Bangor Daily News after the championship game victory.
"This is the biggest caring, loving bunch of guys I've ever been with," said Walsh, who died of cancer in 2001. "In all my years of playing hockey, this is the tightest-knit group of guys. It's just 100 percent team." [/quote]
His goal, and that of his classmates, was to continue the program's winning tradition and claim another title. Never could the Black Bears have imagined the obstacles they would encounter in trying to make that happen.
The dedicated group believed in the program, their coaches and each other. And on April 9, 1999, at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California, UMaine celebrated a national championship.
UMaine closed out a 31-6-4 season, capped by the program's second national title in six years.
"It was the time of my life. I owe everything to the University of Maine and the hockey program," said goalie Alfie Michaud, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament and is now an assistant coach for the Black Bears.
That special collection of players, coaches and staff members, who will forever hold a treasured place in the hearts and minds of Black Bear fans, now take their deserved place in the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame.
"Our success wouldn't have been possible if each player didn't selflessly accept their role," said former goalies coach, recruiter extraordinaire and UMaine Hall of Famer Grant Standbrook. "Each of them was equally vital to our success."
The championship team featured talent and depth, but it was the five seniors who set the tone while enduring postseason bans during the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons.
Scholarship reductions meant bringing in some less-touted "credit card" players, some of whom would have to wait for the money. The staff still assembled a cohesive cast.
"We called ourselves the 'Land of Broken Toys,' guys that other teams didn't want," Bobby Stewart said. "But Grant and Shawn saw different capabilities in us, whether it was character or what we brought on the ice."
UMaine went into the '98-99 campaign highly motivated, coming off a 17-15-4 season that left them unsatisfied.
"Going into our senior year, we kind of had a little bit of unfinished business," said Marcus Gustafsson. "Everybody on that team brought something [to the table]."
The seniors included Kariya and fellow captains David Cullen, Stewart, Jason Vitorino and Gustafsson. Kariya and Cullen each were named American Hockey Coaches Association East first-team All-Americans and to the All-Hockey East first team.
"Those five guys stuck it out. They stayed with the program, and I think that's kind of what galvanized everything," Michaud said.
With 12 of the top 14 scorers returning, Michaud in goal and a promising freshman class, there was optimism. In a preseason meeting with the seniors, Standbrook set the bar high. He drew a line on the schedule that went all the way to the national championship.
"This is where you guys are going, if you believe it," was his message, Stewart said.
The offense was led by Kariya (27 goals, 38 assists), junior center Cory Larose (21 & 31), defenseman Cullen (11 & 33), sophomore winger Dan Kerluke (23 & 19), winger Gustafsson (13 & 15), and centers Ben Guite (12 & 16), a junior, and freshman Barrett Heisten (12 & 16).
Michaud, a junior, compiled a 28-6-3 record, a 2.32 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. He was backed up by freshman Mike Morrison (3-0-1, 1.17, .917) and Matt Yeats.
Heisten and Morrison were joined in the talented freshman group by winger Niko Dimitrakos (8 & 19), defenseman Peter Metcalf (6 & 17), and defensemen Doug Janik (3 & 13) and Ed Wood (1 & 9).
"That was a very good freshman class and those guys were able to come in and make an impact," said Nate Leaman, a graduate assistant for the team who is now the head coach at Providence.
Other key contributors included transfer junior center Brendan Walsh (7 & 13), junior forward Jim Leger (5 & 2), junior defenseman Robert Ek (0 & 6) and a strong corps of sophomores led by Anders Lundback (1 & 11), Mattias Trattnig (5 & 5), Tuomo Jaaskelainen (1 & 5), A.J. Begg (0 & 2), Magnus Lundback (1 & 2) and Eric Turgeon (0 & 2).
"We prided ourselves on including everyone, making sure that we had a team and family atmosphere that was really good," Cullen said.
It was a group that, in pursuit of excellence, was hungry and focused.
"That was a team that hadn't played in the NCAA Tournament and desperately wanted to be great," Leaman said.
Their resolve was intensified through tragedy when, in February, beloved team equipment manager Richie Britt was killed in an accident.
"That was really crushing to our team," Kariya said. "He was a good friend and a teammate."
The team hung a UMaine jersey with Britt's name on it behind the bench and wore "RB" decals on their helmets for the rest of the season.
Still, the stretch run was grueling for UMaine, which went 14-1-1 at Alfond Arena that winter.
Needing a point to win the Hockey East regular-season title, the Black Bears lost back-to-back games at UNH, then fell to Boston College in the league semifinals. They rebounded to beat Ohio State and Clarkson in the Worcester Regional to earn a spot in the Frozen Four.
It took 35 saves from Michaud and Stewart's overtime game-winner, set up by a Dimitrakos' rink-length rush, to eke out a 2-1 victory over BC in the semifinals.
"I get chills thinking about it," Cullen said. "I flew over the bench and I was on the ice. It was a really cool experience."
On April 3, 1999, the Black Bears again went toe-to-toe with UNH. In overtime, Gustafsson took a nifty pass from Cory Larose, fired a one-timer that was stopped by Ty Conklin, then buried the rebound to secure the team's place in history.
"It was a great relief and pure happiness," Gustafsson said. "It was a surreal life moment, for sure."
The entire experience galvanized the relationship between team members.
"It was the time of my life. I owe everything to the University of Maine and the hockey program," Michaud said.
"Everyone took a lot of pride in bringing Maine hockey back," Kariya said. "That was special for me and, I think, everyone."
They have remained in close contact and held a team reunion every five years. In May, they gathered for their 25-year reunion in Naples, Florida, where they reconnected with the 87-year-old Standbrook, who lives there.
"Hockey was the vehicle which brought them together from around the world," Standbrook said. "We evolved, won the championship and became brothers for life!"
The dedicated coaching staff had the respect and admiration of the players. Walsh, Standbrook, Gene Reilly and Leaman worked tirelessly behind the scenes to put the team in position to win consistently.
"We all felt like we had the advantage, even if we didn't have as much talent as some of the teams," Stewart said. "We felt like we were prepared each game. They were innovative on how they approached things compared to other clubs."
The bond between the players was a huge key to UMaine's success as noted by Shawn Walsh in an interview with the Bangor Daily News after the championship game victory.
"This is the biggest caring, loving bunch of guys I've ever been with," said Walsh, who died of cancer in 2001. "In all my years of playing hockey, this is the tightest-knit group of guys. It's just 100 percent team." [/quote]
If you open up the links in incognito on Chrome you can bypass the paywall for 1 article a day
With that said, Larry's articles have been a nice change of pace this year from year's past I've enjoyed them
It is interesting that Larry never mentioned any of Frank’s teammates in juniors…guys named Pichette, Arnott, Nadeau, Hopkins
(I’d love it if Suniev transferred to Maine)
UnMcGovernable
Member
Scholle developed the most out of any of the freshman last season IMO. He was playing a bit on the second line and PP by the end of last season.
blackbears9
New member
I'm a big Scholle fan, if he can consistently put his shot somewhere other than the goalies chest he's going to have a big year. Always playing hard and in the right spots, just can't place a shot to save his life.
tylerzx2002
Well-known member
Anyone know if Standbrook is joining the team for the HOF banquet and/or for the Sat game? Would be great to see him back in Orono again.
Sparkee
Blackbear
I’ve heard his health is an issue after battling cancer. If he doesn’t make the trip I think it is due to that and not because he doesn’t want to. I feel he is a genuinely one of the most caring coaches I’ve ever spoke with. He just seemed so happy and interested in developing players. One of my favorite stories was when he recruited Dustin Penner. He basically popped into a club hockey game in Minot and noticed him. Asked around and found out he was a good golfer too. Saw his size and figured out about his hands and recruited Penner to UMaine as a red shirt walk on. Penner plays one year on the ice after his sit-out transfer year, goes pro, has solid career and gets his name on the Stanley cup twice, I believe. I think Penner was quoted to the effect of “I might still be pumping gas in Manitoba if it weren’t for Grant Standbrook.”
Sparkee
Blackbear
I got tickets to the Friday night game, looking forward to it. I like watching games at Matthew’s.
On the recruits, it seems like some are not going to make to Maine. I do know that summer of 2023 they added another assistant coach to handle the recruiting(Soltys). So to me, it appears as though they may be moving on from some(a lot) of recruits from the first year and a half of Barr as coach. Barr has brought in guys from transfer portal which has helped accelerate the rebuild, IMO. At the same time, some of the recruits that committed in that first year and a half under Barr simply haven’t risen to a high level. I think Cisar is a good recruit in that time frame. But many of the others are not showing they are at a level that would impact the line up that Maine has now. If you follow recruiting you would see since Soltys has been here the recruiting appears to have been landing higher rated recruits.
UnMcGovernable
Member
Just my two cents, but the nitpicking on Bradly's game comes across like calling your ex crazy after the breakup.
Why is this still under discussion? The guy made his decision months ago, and he decided to do what he thought was the best for him. It's really not our place to fault or criticize him for that, and I agree with McGovern's analysis. He was/is a great player who any team would have been fortunate to have played for them, including us.
I hope engaging in hockey chat is allowed here. I did not find your analysis incorrect OR misplaced (leonard and Gasseau stayed at BC…let’s see who does what in the pros)
And—-
Penner had a great quote about the recruiting…Grant took a drive with Dustin and as they were crossing into Dustin’s hometown, Grant said “see that sign: “welcome to Winkler Manitoba”? One day it’s gonna read “Welcome to Winkler Manitoba, home of Stanley Cup Champion, Dustin Penner”…
”I knew he was blowing smoke up my ass, but it worked”
(or very close to all that)
This is hockey discussion. Making a wrong move can stunt a guy’s development. AND we were talking about whether he will be replaced or sorely missed.
There was plenty of nitpicking during the relationship. He was one of the best backcheckers ever for maine, catching up and picking pockets….but all too often, as was frequently mentioned on here, he chose not to come back and help out on D.
24 hours and counting…
I think this team is the type that will develop that special chemistry that just keeps building through the season. Having a great coach and motivator working with a lot of depth and a sprinkling of talent plus that desire added in will yield rewards…gonna be fun!
Hard to imagine over 40 years ago we started going to the Alfond and that excitement is still there.
I think this team is the type that will develop that special chemistry that just keeps building through the season. Having a great coach and motivator working with a lot of depth and a sprinkling of talent plus that desire added in will yield rewards…gonna be fun!
Hard to imagine over 40 years ago we started going to the Alfond and that excitement is still there.
Sparkee
Blackbear
It turns out he did make it up from Florida. He was thanked by Steve Kariya in his acceptance speech. Evidently Grant had a hip replacement just 3 weeks ago and still made it up. Wow. Grant is incredible. Fast forward to 101 mark if you want to hear Steve Kariya’s acceptance speech. https://www.youtube.com/live/94T3_ay...O2IEZda4ta62qt
walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
The 93 team was good as it gets but somehow to me the 99 team was even better. That season was a blast. Just walking thru Alfond the other day brought back all those good times following the team. I don't think I had to take my shoes off to count the games I missed at home during the stretch from the early 90s until the late 2000s. I always said it was the most fun you could have with your pants on. Now that I'm an old man I won't be as dedicated but I'm sure some of you guys will be. Enjoy what the team brings now, I'm confident Coach Barr, the staff and the players will once more bring success to Orono.
I won't be as dedicated but I'm sure some of you guys will be. Enjoy what the team brings now, I'm confident Coach Barr, the staff and the players will once more bring success to Orono.Great call. I’m glad they fixed it.